Canada PM Trudeau prioritises independence in talks with King Charles

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Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the sidelines of a NATO summit at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Monday, June 14, 2021. U.S. President Joe Biden is taking part in his first NATO summit, where the 30-nation alliance hopes to reaffirm its unity and discuss increasingly tense relations with China and Russia, as the organization pulls its troops out after 18 years in Afghanistan. (Stephanie Lecocq, Pool via AP)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his top priority in talks with King Charles on Monday would be safeguarding Canada’s sovereignty, following recent remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting the country should become the 51st US state.

Speaking ahead of his meeting with Charles, who serves as Canada’s head of state, Trudeau emphasised that “standing up for our sovereignty and our independence” was paramount to Canadians.

Last week, King Charles invited Trump for what would be a historic second state visit to Britain, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer personally delivering the invitation during a high-profile meeting in the Oval Office.

“I look forward to sitting down with His Majesty tomorrow. As always, we will discuss matters of importance to Canada and Canadians, and I can tell you that nothing seems more important to Canadians than standing up for our sovereignty and our independence as a nation,” Trudeau told reporters.

The outgoing prime minister has previously warned that Trump’s statements about absorbing Canada into the US “is a real thing” and are tied to the country’s vast natural resources. Trump has repeatedly suggested that Canada would be better off as part of the US.

When asked about Trump’s recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trudeau responded briefly: “I stand with Zelensky.”